This is a monthly compilation of hopeful news that speaks to our five impact pillars: self & community, natural environment, built environment, democracy & justice, and business & capital. We hope this briefing shines a light on our pathway to the next economy.
October 2020
Welcome to the Hopeful Leadership Now briefing for October 2020. Here in Melbourne our daily COVID cases have dipped into single figures and spring is in the air. This month we have been inspired by a number of transformational initiatives and projects launching around the world. Whilst 2020 has been incredibly challenging in so many ways, green shoots of a more holistic recovery are beginning to emerge.
- The Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) was launched last week. Emerging from the wave of energy and enthusiasm generated by Kate Raworth’s seminal book Doughnut Economics, DEAL is an open, collaborative community platform that aims to turn Doughnut Economics from a radical idea into transformative action. The platform will enable the co-creation of tools and the sharing of stories around building regenerative and distributive economies.
- The Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE) also launched in the US last month. Initially conceived by Eric Ries nine years ago, the LTSE is designed around long-term thinking in business. It does so by requiring companies to publish a series of policies focussed on long-term value creation. These include stakeholder rather than shareholder metrics, long-term rather than short-term success metrics, aligning executive compensation with long-term performance and an explicit long-term investor policy.
- Led by the BLab movement, alongside the BTeam, Conscious Capitalism and others, Imperative 21 was launched with a bang in September. Imperative 21 is a business-led network that is seeking a reset of our economic system built on behavioural, cultural and structural change. The movement launched with a powerful video that was projected by Nasdaq in Times Square.
- In climate news, New Zealand has become the first country in the world to make climate risk reporting mandatory for banks, asset managers and insurers. In a globally significant step, large financial institutions will be required to report annually on governance, risk management and strategies for mitigating climate change impacts. Closer to home, the NY Times tells the story of how Australia has become the leader in rooftop solar. And in global policy news, we are being warned to prepare for carbon tariffs from the EU. Known as carbon border adjustment taxes, they are designed to tax imported goods from nations that don’t have strong enough emissions reduction policies. Though potentially troubling in the short term for the Australian economy (given our lack of coherent emissions reductions policies), they are a bold leap forward in public policy designed to tackle the climate emergency.
- In our July briefing we celebrated the non-profit acquisition of AAP Newswire by a collective of impact investors and philanthropists. This month we celebrate the Australian government stepping in to support the new AAP, with a $5m grant. We also thank the public campaign and lobbying efforts that pushed the government into action.
- We have been inspired by the recent Australian Story featuring regenerative agriculture pioneer Charlie Massy. Documenting his journey from conventional to regenerative farmer, it is a both a touching tribute and a call to action for agriculture to play a leading role in the fight against global warming. This is a perfect local companion piece to the new Netflix documentary Kiss the Ground.
- Finally, here at SGA we are putting the final pieces in place for our Mastery of Business and Empathy. We are now seeking expressions of interest for our 2021 program.
